


Lingering

by rococowitch



Series: When the Night Comes [4]
Category: When The Night Comes (Visual Novel)
Genre: ANGST TIME, F/M, Prompt Fic, flashbacks!, sad flashbacks!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22173886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rococowitch/pseuds/rococowitch
Summary: Prompt fic for "You make every day worth living."Background: before Jude made her way to Lunaris, she'd lost her lover Tristan to vampires. So, you know, angst ensues, etc. etc.
Relationships: Finnegan Kazimir/Jude Ainsworth, Finnegan Kazimir/Original Female Character(s), Hunter/Finnegan Kazimir, Jude Ainsworth/Tristan Weber
Series: When the Night Comes [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596103
Kudos: 8





	Lingering

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fic for "You make every day worth living."   
> Background: before Jude made her way to Lunaris, she'd lost her lover Tristan to vampires. So, you know, angst ensues, etc. etc.

Jude thought she’d hidden everything that reminded her of him away, she _swore_ she did.

She was digging through her trunk when she unearthed one of Tristan’s old shirts. Somehow, it still held his scent, and the mixture of sandalwood and bergamot knocks the wind out of her.

Sinking to the floor, she clutches the ratty shirt to her, and tears began to stream against her will. Flashes of the last time she saw him echo in her mind, memories she’d tried to lock away forever. It’d been over a year and the wounds feel like they’d been opened yesterday. 

She sees Tristan, hard and grey and _cold_ , the scent of death about him and blood soaking through his shirt. His eyes glowing a fierce, _terrible_ red and for the first time in her life, Jude had been truly afraid. 

Tristan, lunging for her, clawing into her neck before she’d had a chance to blink. Her hand traces over the scar as the scene plays in her mind.

Tristan, lifeless beneath her, melting away as a stake emerged from his chest.  
  
Jude’s body wracks with sobs as she pulls her knees up to her chest, the mourning she’d tried to stave off hitting her in waves, compounded with crushing guilt as she thought about Finn.

She feels guilty for keeping her past from him and from not being able to let Tristan go… and part of her feels _shame_ for falling in love with the same type of creature that killed her first love.   
  
Jude buries her face into the shirt and inhales the scent.  
  
“You made every day worth living, my love,” she whispers, her voice cracking.  
  
When the door to her tavern room flies open, she is expecting it. Cold arms wrap around her, but Jude stiffens and wriggles out of them.   
  
“What’s wrong?” Finn’s concerned voice washes over her, equal parts comfort and pain. She turns toward him with watery eyes.  
  
Jude opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, so instead, she shakes her head and places her open hand on Finn’s chest.  
  
“Not tonight, my love. I need...” Her voice is small and strained as her throat tightens, and Finn nods. He understands, he always does, and she takes his hand and kisses it before turning back to her bed.   
  
She feels Finn leave, the door closing behind him, and Jude curls back into her blankets.  
  
The shirt is still in her hands the next morning.


End file.
